Folding baby carriage or gocart



0a. 15, 1929. A, E, TA Q 1,132,112

FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE 0R (IO-CART Filed Dec. 2, 1927 Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHQE FOLDING BABY CARRIAGE OR GOCART Application filed December 2, 1927. Serial No. 237,304.

This invention relates to an improved folding baby carriage or go-cart and has been devised for the purpose of producing a gocart which is not only simpler andcheaper in construction but is of'greater utility than those at present in use.

' The folding go-carts at present in use are defective for the reason that they are either cumbersome and complicated or when the go-cart is folded it is heavy and the space required is sometimes objectionable.

The invention consists in the combination of parts in which is characterized the means for folding the go-cart; the means for hinging the divided seat; the means for locking and releasing a divided gate disposed below and supporting the parts; a concertina back rest; the means for frictionally clamping the divided handle of the go-cart; the means for returning the handle around both side walls when in folded position and for locking or fastening the parts together for carrying purposes, said locking means being slidably disposed on the handle; and the arrangement of the brackets and strengthening bars or platesof the go-cart.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood it will now be described with reference .to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are views in side and front.

elevation of the improved go-cart folded in carrying position.

Figures 3, 4 and 5. are views in side eleva tion, plan and front elevation respectively of the go-cart in working position.

Figure 6 is a View in sectional elevation illustrating the means for hinging the divided seat and gate supporting member.

Figure 7 is a view in section illustrating the means for locking the seat and gate member in open position.

Figure 8 is a view illustrating an essential detail. 9

According to this invention the go-cart comprises two side walls 5, 6 which may be of metal, wood or other suitable material and these walls are connected at the rear to two depending arms or brackets 7, 8 carrying at may their outer ends the axles 9, 10 of gutter wheels 11, 12.

The front portions of the side walls 5, 6 are also fitted with ground rests 13, 14 which extend outwardly and downwardly as illus trated.

The inner ends of the brackets 7, 8 and the ground rests 13, 14 are bent inwardly as at 15 and pass through slots or holes in the'walls 5, 6 to the inside thereof where they respec tively form supports for outer hinge pins 16 arranged horizontally along the inside of the walls.

These hinge pins 16 receive the outer edges of the divided seat 17 18, the edges being bent or curved around the pins or otherwise hingedly mounted thereon.

The inner edges of the divided seat 17 18 are hingedly connected to the handle bar arm 19, preferably by forming lugs 20 to the handle bar arm, the said lugs receiving hinge pins 21 which in turn pass through the curved or bent edges of the seat portions 17, 18to form a hinging means. It will be obvious that the inner edges of the seat portions be otherwise suitably hinged to thehandle bar arm 19 if desired.

This handle bar arm 19 extends centrally between, and flush with, the divided seat portions 17, 18 and onits underside isprovided with a depending arm 22 formed with a right angled forward extension 23 adapted when the go-cart is in working position to enter a slot 24 in a divided gate 25, 26 disposed be neath andadapted to form a strengthening member for the go-cart when in working position.

This divided gate 25,26 is disposed transversely below the seat and each divided portion of the gate is hinged at its outer and inner edges, the outer edges 27 being curved or bent around or otherwise hingedly connected to vertical hinge pins. 28 supported by lugs 29 spaced from each other and formed on or fitted to the respective vertical wheel standards or brackets 30 of the main wheels 31. The inner edges of the gate portions 25, 26 are bent or curved around or are otherwise hingedly mounted to a hinge pin 32, the

two gate portions on receiving the hinge pin 32 forming a common hinge as illustrated.

The front end of the handle arm bar 19 is connected to the handle arm 33 by a friction clamp 34 by means of which the arm 33 can be tightened to rigidity or loosened by a wing nut 35 to allow it to swing rearwardly as hereinafter described.

In order to maintain the clamp 34 rigidly when the carriage is in wheeling position, a spring 34 is adapted to enter a slot 34] in the clamp discs and so hold them in rigid position by preventing any loose movement in the clamp.

the thread of the clamping bolt being such that a short movement will allow of these operations.

The handle arm 33 is bifurcated or formed with two spaced arms terminating in a handle 36.

Near the handle end 36 is slidably disposed a locking means 37 comprising a member 38 slidably mounted on the bifurcated handle arms 33, its movement being limited at each end by lugs 39 and a spring 40 normally in tension and carried on a member 41 disposed on the inside of the handle 36. V

The handle arm 33 is adapted to move on its pivot 34 rearwardly so that when the go-cart is folded for carrying purposes the bifurcated arms move over and encompass the side walls 5, 6 and are in sliding engage ment with the edges 42 of said walls 5, 6, the locking device 37 also sliding along the edges 42 until it meets a notch 43 on each wall "edge 42, when it enters the notches 43 and is locked therein by the pressure of the spring 40. v

The ground rests 13, 14 are formed on the inside with lugs 44, 45 carrying foot rests 46, 47, the foot rests being adjustable thereon and are hinged or pivoted to the lugs so that they hinge one way and are adapted to be moved at right angles to the ground rests 13, 14 to form foot rests, the foot rests being thus mounted on a one-way hinge, the movement being limited by the extensions 48 adapted when the foot rests are in open position to rest against their respective ground rests 13 or 14, the foot rests 46, 47

being also capable of being folded inwardly when the go -cart is folded. 7

To adjust these foot rests 46, 47 along the ground rests 13, 14, the foot rests 46, 47 are adjusted to any of the lugs 44, 45 on the ground rests. These foot rests 46, 47 may be rigidly affixed to the lugs 44, 45 if desired.

The back rest 52 of the go cart is formed of fabric or other foldable material arranged in concertina fashion and connects by tapes or other suitable connections with the rear edges of the side walls 5, 6, while a pocket of cloth or other foldable material 53, as illustrated by dotted lines, in Figure 4, may be fitted to the concertina back 52 for the purpose of retaining parcels.

lVhen it is desired to fold the go-cart the user may apply pressure by his or her foot to the front end 23 of the handle bar arm extension 23 and at the same time hold the handle 33, to break the centre hinge of the gate 25, 26 or the centre hinge may be broken with the foot which releases the same from the member 23, allowing the handle bar arm 19 to be raised slightly which in turn causes the divided seat portions 17 18 to rise with the arm 19 by means of the hinge pins 21 carried thereon, the said divided seat portions also hinging from the outer hinge pins 16 on the side walls 5, 6, so that as the divided seat portions rise, the side walls 5, 6 together with the main and gutter wheels move inwardly together, the divided gate members 25, 26 being forced outwardly from the central common hinge 32 to fold together, so that when the go-eart is completely folded, the divided seat portions 17, 18 are vertically disposed on each side of the handle bar arm 19 above the divided gate members 25, 26 which are also folded together, themembers described being housed within the side walls 5, 6 which are encompassed by the bifurcated arms of the handle 33 which is swung rearwardly from the pivot 34 around the edges 42 of the side walls 5, 6 till the locking means 37 disposed on the handle 33 engages with the notches 43 formed in the said side walls 5, 6 to lock the go-cart in the folded position;

Suitable guards 52, as illustrated'by dotted lines in Figure 5, may be mounted over the wheels, if desire In order to provide for the folding of the go-cart in a minimum compass the wheel standards 30 may be so mounted that they may slide or be swung towards the frame in the folding operation.

Also the brackets '7, 8 carrying the gutter wheels and the ground rests 13, 14 may be 'mounted' so that the lower portions are adapted to slide on the upper portions or these members may be arranged to swing upwardly and inwardly if required.

The sides and seats can be suitably covered or upholstered as required. v

It is obvious that the concertina back rest 52 will fold inwardly within the side walls bination side walls, a back rest, and a divided seat adapted to fold together, arms adapted to carry gutter wheels and arms forming ground rests at the front, all the said arms being fitted to the side walls and having the inner ends turned inwardly through slots in the Walls, and hinge pintles supporting the outer edges of said divided seat extending through perforations in said inturned ends.

2. A folding go-cart comprising in combination side walls, a back rest, and a divided seat adapted to fold together, standards fitted to the side walls, main wheels carried by said standards, lugs fitted to the standards, vertical hinge pintles received by said lugs and a transversely extending divided supporting gate disposed below the divided seat and carried by said hinge pintles.

3. A folding gocart comprising in combination sidewalls, a back rest, and a divided seat adapted to fold together, a transverse supporting gate below said divided seat, said gate being divided and having the two portions hinged together at the center, standards carried by said go-cart for supporting the main wheels, the outer edges of said gate being hinged to said standards.

at. A folding go-cart comprising in combination side walls, a back rest, and a seat, adapted to fold together, ground rests, foot rests hinged one Way, extending inwardly from said side walls and mounted on said ground rests.

5. A folding go-cart comprising in combination side Walls, a back rest, and a divided seat adapted to fold together, a central support for the seat comprising'a handle arm bar and a handle, and means including an adjustable friction clamp disposed on the inner end of the handle for adjustably connecting it to said arm bar.

6. A folding go-cart comprising in combination side walls, a back rest, and a seat adapted to fold together, a handle having bifurcated arms, a friction clamp securing said handle to said go-cart, said handle being selectively held loosely or tightly by means of said friction clamp and the bifurcated arms of said handle being arranged to en compass the members of the go-cart when folded.

Signed at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,- this 22nd day of October, A. D. 1927.

AUBREY EVELYN TAYLOR. 

